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PATENT FFICEQ DU BOIS F. GERALDS, OF CLINTONDALE, NEIV YORK.

REFR|GEaAToR-HoUsE- SPECIFICATION lforming part of Letters Patent No. 353,553, dated November 30,1886.

Application filed May 6, 1886. Seria] No. 201,373. (No model.)

To all whom, if, may concern:

Be it known that I, DU BOIS F. GERALDS, a citizen oi' the United States, residingl at Clintondaie, in the county of Ulster and. State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerator-Houses; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and `figures of reference marked thereon, which l'orm a part ot this speciiication.

My invention has relation to improvements on the refrigerator-house for which Letters Patent No. 333,407 were granted to me on December 29, 1885, the object being to increase the efficiency ot' the said patented house, as will be hereinafter fully described and set forth.

My improvements are clearly shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa vertical cross-section, and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of my house.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A A indicate the frame of the house, B the icechamber, 'and G the refrigeratorchamber. The ice-chamber and refrigerator-chamber are separated by a horizontal partition, D, as shown, and are connected by the tubes or ducts E E, as shown.

In operation the cold air from the ice-chamber descends through the ducts E, and is met by the warm air ascending from the refriger-l atonchamb'er. 'lhe ascending warm air is reduced to the temperature ot' the descending air and a uniform downward current is established. The warm air which ascends through the duct D passes up without meeting any descending cold currents, for'the reason that these ducts are placed to one sideof the ieechamber, as clearly shown. A passage, F, connects the ducts E and E', and aslidevalve, F, works in this conneming-passage, s o as to regulate the capacity ofthe aforesaid ducts E E. rIhe warm air which passes through the ducts E also passes through passage F to the ice-chamber, where it is mixed with the colcl air and again descends to the refrigerator chamber, thus keeping up a constant circulation.

His an auxiliary cold-air duet, the opening of which is regulated by the valve G, so that a greater supply of cold air may be admitted t0 the lower chamber when so desired.

Though goed results were obtained from the use ot' my former heuse, it was found in practice that fruit or vegetables inthe end of the house were kept in better condition than those iu the center, owing to the fact that the cold air did not have as ready access to the substances in the center of t-he house as to those in the ends. rihis objection could be obviated by providing additional ducts E E', but this would diminish the capacity' of the house, as will be readily appreciated. In mypresent device I have overcome this obstacle by providing a slot, I, in the partition D, ruiming nearly the entire length of the said partition and having a valve, J, pivoted therein. The pivot-rod K ot' this valve .I may be extended and connected to the valve F by a crank-arm, so as to be operated simultaneously therewith; but this is not essential to the operation of my invention.

rIhe operation ofmy house will be fully understood on reference to my former patent, hereinbefore mentioned, and need not be specitically described herein. rIhe fruit in suitable packages is stored in the lower or refrigerator chamber, and preserved for an indefinite time by the action ofthe cold air descending from the upper chamber through the cold-air ducts and the slot I.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

The combination, in a refrigerator-house having an upper and lower chamber separated by a partition, D, ot' the coldair ducts E, the intersecting warmair ducts E, having the common slide-valve F, and the valve J, pivoted in the slot I in ythe partition, substantially as set forth.. A

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

DU BOIS F. GERALDS.

Vitncsses:

H. W. SUTTON, J. H. WARDELL. 

